"Ne'er-do-well" is a derogatory term for a good-for-nothing person; or a rogue, vagrant or vagabond without means of support.
Colonial contextedit
The term ne'er-do-well was used in the nineteenth-century Australasian colonies to denote young British and Irish men seen as undesirable. These men were typically thought to be the younger sons of wealthy families who had somehow failed to fulfil their potential, so they were sent to the colonies to 'improve' themselves. Sometimes called 'remittance men' because they relied on payments from their families, other colonists held that these men typically spent this money on drinking and gambling, and feared they would be a threat to the natural order of society.[1]
Starting in the mid-nineteenth century, the term started to appear in migrant accounts, travel journals and reformist tracts. In 1851, George Hepburn wrote a diary throughout his voyage to Dunedin. He described the 'would be gentlemen' on board who drank constantly as 'scamps who acted the tomfoolery'. Some writers advised against these types of men from emigrating such as Charles Flinders Hursthouse who warned that the 'idle ne'er-do-well' should stay at home, because they were 'far above work, and far beneath it'.[2]
When, in 1873, the New Zealand Government introduced the Imbecile Passengers Act,[3] Colonial Secretary Daniel Pollen described this legislation as necessary due to the increasing numbers of 'half-scamps, half-lunatics' sent to the colony by friends and family. Pollen warned that this practice has led to the 'large proportion of lunatics' who needed costly maintenance in institutions. This appears to be a direct political response to the anxiety about the numbers of ne'er-do-wells arriving in New Zealand in this period.[4]
^"The Ideal Society and its Enemies: The Foundations of Modern New Zealand Society 1850–1900 by Miles Fairburn - Books - Auckland University Press - The University of Auckland". www.press.auckland.ac.nz. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
^"ENZB - 1857 - Hursthouse, C. New Zealand, or Zealandia, the Britain of the South [Vol.I.] - [Front Matter]". www.enzb.auckland.ac.nz. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
^Kain, Jennifer (2016-09-25). "The Ne'er-do-well: Representing the Dysfunctional Migrant Mind, New Zealand 1850–1910". Studies in the Literary Imagination. 48 (1): 75–92. doi:10.1353/sli.2015.0005. ISSN 2165-2678.
January 01, 1970
well, other, uses, disambiguation, derogatory, term, good, nothing, person, rogue, vagrant, vagabond, without, means, support, colonial, context, editthe, term, well, used, nineteenth, century, australasian, colonies, denote, young, british, irish, seen, undes. For other uses see Ne er do well disambiguation Ne er do well is a derogatory term for a good for nothing person or a rogue vagrant or vagabond without means of support Colonial context editThe term ne er do well was used in the nineteenth century Australasian colonies to denote young British and Irish men seen as undesirable These men were typically thought to be the younger sons of wealthy families who had somehow failed to fulfil their potential so they were sent to the colonies to improve themselves Sometimes called remittance men because they relied on payments from their families other colonists held that these men typically spent this money on drinking and gambling and feared they would be a threat to the natural order of society 1 Starting in the mid nineteenth century the term started to appear in migrant accounts travel journals and reformist tracts In 1851 George Hepburn wrote a diary throughout his voyage to Dunedin He described the would be gentlemen on board who drank constantly as scamps who acted the tomfoolery Some writers advised against these types of men from emigrating such as Charles Flinders Hursthouse who warned that the idle ne er do well should stay at home because they were far above work and far beneath it 2 When in 1873 the New Zealand Government introduced the Imbecile Passengers Act 3 Colonial Secretary Daniel Pollen described this legislation as necessary due to the increasing numbers of half scamps half lunatics sent to the colony by friends and family Pollen warned that this practice has led to the large proportion of lunatics who needed costly maintenance in institutions This appears to be a direct political response to the anxiety about the numbers of ne er do wells arriving in New Zealand in this period 4 See also editBeachcomberReferences edit The Ideal Society and its Enemies The Foundations of Modern New Zealand Society 1850 1900 by Miles Fairburn Books Auckland University Press The University of Auckland www press auckland ac nz Retrieved 2016 11 19 ENZB 1857 Hursthouse C New Zealand or Zealandia the Britain of the South Vol I Front Matter www enzb auckland ac nz Retrieved 2016 11 19 Imbecile Passengers Act 1873 37 Victoriae 1873 No 70 www nzlii org Retrieved 2016 11 19 Kain Jennifer 2016 09 25 The Ne er do well Representing the Dysfunctional Migrant Mind New Zealand 1850 1910 Studies in the Literary Imagination 48 1 75 92 doi 10 1353 sli 2015 0005 ISSN 2165 2678 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ne 27er do well amp oldid 1174495205, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
